


The House of the Butterflies

by Enmy



Category: Naruto
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-17 21:54:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29107398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Enmy/pseuds/Enmy
Summary: Thousands of years into the future Terra is destroyed in a Great War and people are forced to live in colonies orbiting the desert planet. All hope is not lost though as scientists on Ceres Space Station work hard to restore the fauna and flora that once was on Terra while other space stations research other field for the same common purpose.Sasuke and his friends come across one of the mysteries of Ceres, known as the House of the Butterflies. What is this room located in the most secured area on Ceres and what will Sasuke find in there?
Relationships: Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto
Kudos: 6
Collections: Foxy fox 🦊





	The House of the Butterflies

**Author's Note:**

> This story is an AU and the characters are quite OOC.

The House of the Butterflies

"Today's lesson will be about Terra and since our history is related to it we will spend several classes talking about it." Iruka said as he walked between the desks. "You all know by now that all the space stations inhabited by humans orbit Terra at different distances and so do the colonies, only further away. The colonies are where most people live while the space stations are meant for research purposes. Can anyone tell me what kind of research is done on our space station?" He looked around at the students to see if anyone showed any interest in answering the question. It wasn't a trick question really, it was mostly meant to wake them up from their lethargy or even slumber in some cases.

Iruka had learned in his years as a teacher that keeping his students interested and active was the key to get maximum results from them.

"Come on? I'm sure you know the answer. Most of your parents are researchers." His eyes fell on a sleeping boy in the last seat, middle row. "Shikamaru!" The yell woke the slumbering boy up and he blinked a few times lazily as if trying to get rid of the sleepiness.

"Genetics, astronomy and astrology." He answered with a monotone, bored voice before dropping his head on top of his folded hands once again.

"That's correct." Iruka said with a sigh. The boy was a lost cause. Although he was brilliant he was also just as lazy and the combination could lead to nothing good. He had tried everything he knew with Shikamaru but there was just no way to motivate him.

"Um….sensei?" A shy girl with dark lavender hair and light lavender eyes raised her hand shyly.

"Yes, Hinata?"

"My father told me that people used to live on Terra, is that true?"

The dark haired man nodded. "Yes. That is correct."

Sasuke's gaze moved at the window at the desert planet that drifted in space in a cloud of dust. There was no way anyone could live there. Even Mars looked friendlier to the human race than Terra and yet everything people were talking about was going to Terra. He never really understood why Terra was so important in the first place, what could they do to change that planet and make it habitable? Why didn't they try to do on Mars what they wanted to do on Terra? It was annoying really and a waste of time in his opinion.

"And that is why we want to go back to Terra. That is why we want to restore it to its former beauty." The teacher concluded.

He didn't feel like going home, so Sasuke stopped in the corridor on the outer ring of the space station looking at the planet he dreaded so much, the planet that haunted his entire life.

"Do you ever dream of leaving Ceres space station?" A boy with long dark hair and light lavender eyes leaned against the rail beside him.

"Yes. I'll go out there one day just like my brother but not to Terra." Sasuke answered, his eyes still focused on the dead planet ahead.

"Why do you hate it so much? Your family is known for their missions on the surface of that planet and everyone is kind of expecting you to follow on their footsteps."

Sasuke bowed his head so that his dark bangs would hide his eyes from the older boy's view.

"You wouldn't understand, Neji." Neji did not press his friend with further questions, there was no need to. Time will reveal everything and they had plenty of it. It wasn't as if they were going to Terra anytime soon.

Turning around, Neji followed his friend's gaze in the dark space.

"Do you believe it can be done?" Sasuke suddenly broke the comfortable silence that settled between the two of them.

"What?"

"The Terraformation."

"Sure, why not?"

"How do they even know what it looked like thousands of years ago? Father told me there's little clue about what kind of vegetation and fauna once was there."

"I don't know much only what I overheard once. There's a place called the House of the Butterfly."

"What's that?"

"I don't know but they say it holds the key."

"Why didn't you ask Iruka about it?"

"I did. He said he's never heard of it."

Sasuke finished his attack and bringing his palms together he bowed in front of his instructor.

"You're getting very good at using lightning, Sasuke. With your sharingan this raikiri will be a deadly weapon one day."

"Thank you." The raven paused for a moment wondering if he should ask or not but this was Kakahi, a family friend so he would definitely tell him if he knew anything."Kakashi…" The man looked at him confused since it wasn't like Sasuke to hesitate about anything. He was usually blunt and straightforward at an annoying level sometimes. "What do you know about the House of the Butterflies?"

"Only that it's related to Terra. Why do you ask? I thought you weren't interested in Terra."

"I'm not. I just heard that there's a record there with information about how Terra looked before."

"Well…something like that. Do you want to see it?" the grey haired man grinned at the discomfort displayed by his pupil.

"Hm…not at all." He did his best to pretend that he didn't care but he failed and Sasuke was aware of that. If his teacher didn't tease him for that was only because he decided to show some decency for once and not because he didn't notice. The man was trained in combat and quite observant, after all he was elite.

The next day at school Sasuke talked to Neji again and they agreed to try and locate the House of the Butterflies and try to go and see it. They didn't have anything better to do anyway and none of them had done anything interesting lately.

"We should ask Shikamaru if he wants to help. I don't think we can hack the main computer ourselves." Neji whispered loud enough to be heard only by his friends: Sasuke, Gaara and Sai."

"Can't Sai do it?" Sasuke didn't really want to get more people involved in this. The chances of them getting caught were getting higher the more people they involved.

"Sorry but nope." Sai smiled a smile that never really reached his eyes. "I hate to admit it but the lazy bastard is better than me."

"He'll involve Kiba and Chouji too and if Kiba finds out we're done for." Sasuke pointed out looking at the loud boy on the other side of the classroom.

"Shikamaru won't tell Kiba if he's interested enough to help us." Gaara, who had been silent until then interfered.

"Oh and Sakura might also come in handy." Sasuke gave Neji a death glare that only an Uciha could muster but the dark haired boy remained unfazed. Sakura was a smart girl, Sasuke had to admit that and she could also get access to the security system since her parents worked there but she was also one of his fan girls. Sakura was also the kind of person who couldn't keep a secret especially from her best friend Ino, so no matter how he thought about it, involving her was no good.

"No, not her." Sasuke had the final word.

Shikamaru was summoned to their table at lunch and to Sasuke's surprise the lazy boy listened to what they had to say from the beginning to the end without falling asleep.

"How troublesome…" the boy said after listening to Sasuke's explanation but they all knew that they piqued his interest. "I guess I can locate this place if I hack into the main computer."

After school they all gathered in a storage room and Shikamaru pulled out his holographic computer. Pushing a button he opened two holographic screens, a larger vertical one and another smaller horizontal one which served as a keyboard. His fingers moved over the keyboard for a while before he spoke.

"I'm in. So what am I looking for?" A map of the space station appeared on the screen. Different areas were colored in different colors showing the security level of the area.

"The House of the Butterflies." Sasuke said and Shikamaru typed the name in the search box. The message 'Destination not found' appeared on the screen in bright red letters.

"What the fuck?" Gaara asked.

"Maybe it's under a different name." Sai took out his own holographic computer and began working. "You know how some places have an official name although they are commonly known by another name?"

"Like how everyone calls the tenth training room the Dojo?" Neji asked.

"Yeah, like that."

"So what are you looking for?" Sasuke asked confused.

"I don't really know. Something that might be called the House of the Butterflies." A list of locations on the station scrolled down on the screen and all boys focused on each location trying to find something. They ended up making a list with locations that might be connected to butterflies but also to history. All locations were in the research area and Shikamaru marked them on his map.

"We're missing something here." Shikamaru pointed out. "Sai's list had a Council Room in it. Ceres doesn't have a council. No space station does. The Council on Ares is governing all space stations."

"So you think the Council Room is what we're looking for?" Sasuke asked.

"My bet is on that, yes. Besides, look where it is." He pointed at the heart of the red restricted area."

"Ok, so what now? We have to take over the security in the area before we go there."

"My plan is that we do it tonight. I need to disconnect Ceres' main computer from the other space stations or they will realize that something is going on but then I need someone to connect in its place."

"I can replace the main computer if that's all but if anyone from outside Ceres tries to connect to us we're done for." Sai said.

"That's why I said it should be done at night. Such connections are unlikely at night." Shikamaru said. "The other problem is that the main security system does not control this small area over here." He made a circle in the air with his finger above the screen.

"Can't you hack that area too?" Neji asked.

"I can't hack them both at the same time. This system was designed by my dad. It's full of traps and one of them will be triggered if we take control over both systems."

Sasuke sighed. "Ok, I'll get a pass for that area."

The night time came fast and the boys met again in the same storage room. There were no nights and days on Ceres as they were on Terra but the stations were working by the planet's cycles and established working hours during 'day' and resting hours during 'night'. The plan was simple: Shikamaru and Sai would hack the main security system while Gaara watched their backs so they wouldn't be discovered while Sasuke and Neji would go to the restricted area and find the Council Room.

The two boys reached the first door where they would need a pass and Sasuke took out the one he had stolen earlier that day.

"It also needs eye recognition." Neji pointed out looking at the red metallic door in front of them.

Sasuke did not expect this. He knew that his father at least had access in this area and that's where he stole the card pass from but he would not go back yet, not until he had tried everything.

Activating his sharingan he moved in front of the ocular scanner by the door hoping that the scanner can't make the difference between his father's sharingan and his own. The moments waiting for acceptance or rejection were agonizing for him and Neji realized it too as he stood behind him. The system didn't seem to make up its mind anytime soon so to speak and the frustration was just building up to the point where Sasuke wanted to just break the damn thing. He couldn't do that, he was well aware since the system had been created by the most brilliant minds in the Stations and the power of chakra alone was not enough to destroy the door.

The maddening silence was broken by a sudden click and the door opened. A smirk appeared on Sasuke's face as he turned to his friend who nodded. The area where the security system was not in Shikamau's control was rather small, Sasuke noticed and they soon found themselves in front of a white plain door. There was no plate on the door like on the other doors but Sasuke knew he was in the right place since he had memorized the map on Shikamaru's computer. Sliding the door to the side they found an endless field with green grass and flowers and many, many butterflies.

"Where do you think we are?" Neji asked activating his byakugan.

"It has to be an illusion but it doesn't look like one." The sharingan was the greatest creator of illusions so Sasuke would have realized immediately if they had fallen in the middle of an illusion and would have dispelled it.

"No, it doesn't." Neji agreed. "Illusions don't have chakra and I can see the chakra flow in everything here."

But just as they were debating the nature of the image in front of them, it changed and they found themselves on a beech by the ocean.

"Can you feel it? The moisture in the air and smell of salt…"

"And the breeze. I wonder if this is Terra before the Great War. These things are described in the records, the oceans, mountains, forests, the animals and plants and we have both seen them before in holograms but here….I can feel like I'm in the middle of it and yet I know I'm not."

The landscape changed again to a mountain and forests of evergreens. It was cold since it was winter and both boys noticed that the sand beneath their feet had turned into snow. Wondering if he could touch it, Sasuke kneeled down and indeed he felt the cloth of his pants getting wet. Digging his fingers in the white snow he brought it closer to his face to analyze it.

"It feels so….real.

"The smell of the evergreens is very nice." Neji added taking a deep breath of fresh, cold air as if trying to carve this experience in his memory. "If we can make Terra be like this again then I'm willing to do everything I can."

"It would take thousands of years if not more to achieve that. We wouldn't get to see it anyway."

The scenery changed a few more times to a river and waterfall, the peak of a mountain, a desert then the bottom of the sea. The last image that appeared however took both boys by surprise. It was the battlefield of the Great War and it didn't seem to change any time soon. The other landscapes had been short-lived in Sasuke's opinion but this one was endless. All the horrors that he never imagined from Iruka's history lessons alone were there then all of the sudden he felt pain in his chest and by instinct he moved his hand to the spot only to realize that it was covered in blood. Panicking, he ran to the door and opened it with more force than necessary, making a loud noise that startled his friend who followed him on the corridor soon after.

"Are you alright?" Neji asked concerned.

Sasuke was panting but upon a second inspection of his hand he noticed that the blood was gone as well as the pain. Heji put a protective hand around his shoulder and slowly guided him down the hall. They silently agreed already that they were not going back there.

"It felt so real that I thought I was going to die from that wound in my chest." Sasuke told Neji as soon as he calmed down enough.

"It wasn't real though…you're alright just a bit shaken that's all."

The next day the group had met again so that Sasuke and Neji could tell them what had happened and what they saw but none of them could imagine how such realistic images could be projected and above all how were their other senses impressed.

Sasuke felt uneasy but curious at the same time. A part of him wanted to go back in the Council Room and get to the bottom of that mystery but the other part had not forgotten the horrifying experience.

A week had passed since he and Neji broke into the restricted area and fortunately they didn't get caught but they couldn't keep on doing this so if he wanted to go back he would have to find another way.

"I need you to make a card pass for me." Sasuke told Shikamaru one day.

"An unauthorized pass?" The lazy boy gave him a skeptical look.

"Yes."

"You want to get back there." It wasn't a question really and the genius didn't need an answer. "That won't be enough I'm afraid. You also have to pass the cameras and henge won't work on them."

"What about the sharingan?"

The taller boy rubbed his chin in contemplation. "I see what you mean. That might just work. The security system is not really designed to protect against the sharingan, byakugan or rinnengan especially since owners of such eyes have access to the most restricted areas." The boy sighed "Very well….I'll have one ready for you in a few days."

Sasuke was once again in front of the white door with his hand on the handle but hesitated to enter. Clenching his fist he slid the door open. He would not run away, not after coming this far. He was not a coward.

Raising his gaze he saw the same filed of grass and flowers like before with several multi colored butterflies soring towards the blue sky. But this time there was someone else there too. A blond boy, wearing a white long sleeved shirt and matching pants was kneeled on the grass petting a fox.

"What are you doing here?" Sasuke asked surprised. "This is restricted area. How did you get in here?" The blond didn't seem concerned that he was caught but he didn't question Sasuke's presence either which made the raven uneasy.

He had never seen the boy before and considering that the blond was his age, a year younger maybe, he should have been in school. The school on Ceres had only one class, one kindergarten class and a nursery so he knew all kids in school. I wonder if he's home schooled Sasuke thought. Although home schooling was almost unheard of on Ceres it wasn't impossible under special circumstances so there was such a possibility.

The boy's gaze left the fox and moved to Sasuke and the raven was amazed by the striking blue eyes the blond had. His features were soft, although he could never be confused with a girl and the first word that came to Sasuke's mind to describe the boy was beautiful. He felt stupid for thinking that but handsome was something that would fit Itachi, his brother but not the blond before him.

"I live here." But he had not been here the last time. Where was he?

"That's a lie." Bringing up the fact that he had been there before was not a good idea. He should approach the boy with caution although he seemed harmless enough.

"Why do you say that?"

"Because this place doesn't have the necessities like furniture and bathroom." Sasuke pointed out making the blond laugh.

"There's a room in the back with a bed and all that." The boy said still smiling.

"I see no door though." Sasuke pointed out. "There's just this field with butterflies."

"Don't you like butterflies?"

Sasuke made a few steps forward, towards the blond, his senses still alert and sharingan activated and raised his hand to reach for a blue butterfly flying nearby that reminded him of the blonde's eyes. His fingers brushed the blue wings lightly before the creature sored to the sky where it joined other butterflies.

"They are beautiful." He admitted and the blond gave him a bright addicting smile. Sasuke wanted to see that smile more.

"See the one over there?" A tanned finger pointed upwards towards two butterflies circling each other in the air. "The orange one…that's my favorite. It's called Viceroy."

Sasuke looked at the creature then back at the blond and smirked. "It does look like something you would like."

"What's that supposed to mean?" The other asked slightly annoyed.

"Only you could like orange so much." Just as soon as the teasing words came out of his mouth Sasuke wondered what he was doing. He didn't even know the boy's name and they were already talking like they had always known each other. The most disturbing part was that he felt comfortable around the blond.

"So which one do you like?" The boy asked and red eyes moved around, searching the area for the perfect butterfly. It was soon found on a leaf, flapping its rusty red wings slightly.

"That one." Sasuke pointed at his chosen one. "What is it called?"

"The Glasswing butterfly. Not a bad choice I must say."

A sudden beeping sound brought Sasuke back to reality. He had set an alarm on his wrist watch for when it was time to go back and according to the digital display it was time to go.

The blond noticed his change of mood and waited patiently for him to say something.

"I have to go, but I'll be back." He said before leaving in a hurry.

Sasuke couldn't take his mind away from the mysterious room and the boy in it. In the end not only that he didn't get to find out how the illusion in the room was made but he didn't even get the mysterious blonde's name.

"It's the second time he breaks in the top security area and goes in there." Shikaku, the head of security tells the blonde, busty woman beside him. They were both in front of two screens, each of them showing Sasuke on one of his nocturnal escapades from the camera's point of view. "What should we do about it?" The trespassing should by all means be punished and Shikaku had a vague idea of who even made it possible in the first place.

His department has noticed the brief moment, less than a second when Ceres' main computer appeared disconnected from the web, losing contact with the other space stations. According to the procedure the closest space station, Ares, was contacted and they stated that from their point of view all had been in order at that time and Ceres' computer seemed connected like usual. Next came Hermes, Chronos and Poseidon but all of them confirmed what Ares had reported.

"Let it slide." The busty woman said with her eyes still on the screens.

"But Tsunade-sama…"

"I know what you are about to say." She cut him off with a firm voice. She may be a woman but she was not going to bow her head in front of any man and her strong personality as well as her wise decisions earned her the position of Head Commander of Ceres. "But just think about it Shikaku" she continued with a softer voice "that boy also needs a friend."

"But he's there for his own protection." The man pleaded for her to understand his perspective and she did but to her the boy was not just a key, he was a human being, the grandson she never had. He was unusual, different than other children his age, that was true but at the same time he had a pure innocence that other children had lost.

"That protection is a double edged blade, though. It's also his jail."

"Sasuke was not alone in this." Shikaku felt the need to make her aware of that although she had probably guessed as much.

"Sasuke is smart, Shikaku, but he couldn't have gone that far without your son's help and maybe even Sakura's or Sai's."

"So what are we going to do if they all decide to go there? What if other children find out about that room?"

"I doubt they will all try to go there together. It's a high risk to get caught and they know that. As for other's finding out, I'm not really concerned. Just make sure that the main computer is not disconnected again and inform me if it is."

She turned to leave not allowing the man to express his entire list of arguments that he probably had against her decision.

"What's your name?" Sasuke asked as he stepped once again in the House of the Butterflies. He finally understood why it was called that when he stepped once again in the familiar scenery to be surrounded by the multi colored creatures soring to the sky.

"Some call me the oracle and others Naruto."

"The oracle? Why?" This time Sasuke had let his guard down and deactivated his sharingan as soon as he passed the white door. There was no need for it here since it was all so peaceful and tranquil.

Naruto shrugged and continued to pet his fox on the nose.

"What's the name of the fox?"

"Kurama."

This time Sasuke was determined to get to the bottom of the mystery of the House of the Butterflies, he was going to ask Naruto all the questions that bothered his mind and he was determined to get the answers even if the boy refused to give them to him. This information may be top secret, he was aware of that but he would not back out, not now when he got this far.

"What is this place?"

"It's just a room." Naruto answered rather confused but Sasuke won't accept such lies.

"That's bullshit." He yelled "Don't try to tell me that this is a hologram." His arm rose to point at the peaceful scenery unfolding in front of him. "Technology just can't do that."

Naruto stood up and closed his eyes. Sasuke had expected him to snap at him for yelling or something but the boy just lost his smile at the sudden outburst. A small tornado like wind formed around them, blowing leaves that had never been there before and Sasuke was taken aback by the force it had. He almost lost his balance for a moment too and looked at Naruto who just stood there unfazed piercing him with his blue eyes.

"What the hell!" Sasuke exclaimed but Naruto didn't seem to want to explain anything. The wind stopped and he found himself in a room with white walls and no windows, just a door on the opposite side of the one he had used to get there. It wasn't large but the lack of objects made it seem like that. There was no source of light either, the ceiling being as bare as the walls and just as white and yet the room was filled with a warm light just like the Sun's.

"Do you believe me now?" Sasuke nodded still shocked by the latest events. Naruto sat back on the floor, lotus style this time and waited patiently for Sasuke to process the information that overwhelmed his mind. "It's rather boring don't you think?"

"Where did the field come from though?" his voice was calm now and Naruto seemed to brighten up a bit too.

"It's just a memory." Sasuke went to sit down next to the blond.

"Who's memory?" His eyes were fixed on Naruto's soft features but mostly of the whiskers like scars on his cheeks, the only flaw on his tanned skin. But could it really be considered a flaw, the raven wondered, they looked so natural there, like they belonged there in the first place.

"Mine." Sasuke wanted to laugh at the stupidity of the idea but he considered such behavior rude and Naruto had not lied to him until then so maybe he wasn't this time either.

"This was an image of Terra, wasn't it?" the blond nodded "But Terra has been just a hunk or rock for thousands of years, no one can remember the time when it was green." He smirked wondering how the blond will counter this fact.

"It was blue actually. Most of it was covered with oceans. And I can remember it. I can remember all the lives I lived there before humans had to come to the colonies, before the space stations were built, before I had to live in this room." His blue eyes met Sasuke's obsidian ones and Sasuke swallowed a knot in his throat. "I even remember you." Sasuke was speechless but although his body wouldn't react, his mind was working fast. If there was such a person alive there was no wonder they would be placed under the highest level of security. Such a person would be the key do bringing Terra to its previous form, it would be humanity's last hope to go back home.

Sasuke had seen plants and animals that used to live on Terra a long time ago and which had been reconstructed in laboratories using whatever DNA samples could be found. There were plenty of plants in the recreation areas on Ceres and even more in the botanical garden that was unique since Ceres was in charge of researching this field. Small animals and birds could be also found in the recreation areas but most of them were in the Zoo colony administrated by Ceres.

Iruka took their class on field trips to the zoo several times and there he also saw holographic images of the animals' natural habitat on Terra but the experience wasn't even coming close to the one that Naruto gave him.

"How? Have we met before?" Naruto nodded.

"I don't know what to call you now though." Only then Sasuke realized that he had not introduced himself and yet Naruto had been so patient about it.

"Sasuke."

There was a moment of tranquil silence between them. Sasuke still had many questions but he didn't want to overwhelm the blond and besides he need time to get used to all this too.

"Have you seen Terra now?" he asked eventually and the blond shook his head. "Have you ever left this room at all?"

"I've never been beyond the door you used to enter this room since they brought me here the day after I was born." Sasuke was shocked. He tried to imagine how he would feel to be locked in a room all alone and not go to school or hang out with his friends or never seeing the vast space out the window. He would go crazy. "Do you want to go out? We can go and come back before anyone notices."

Naruto shook his head. "I can't."

"Why?" Sasuke asked rather exasperated. The idea of taking Naruto out for a few hours on a tour around Ceres made him excited. He was looking forward to seeing the blond smile at all the things he would show him, smile at him.

A tanned hand rest on the blonde's belly and his eyes drifted to the floor. "I have a seal on my stomach. If I leave this room they will know and you'll get caught too."

Sasuke furrowed his brows. How can they do that to Naruto? How can they keep a human being locked in a room with an opened door? It was as if they were taunting him: the door is open, leave! Go out! Explore! But you can't, can you?

"What about your parents? Did they agree to this?" He doubted that any sane parents would allow to give up on their child only to have him sealed away never to see the Sun light again.

"They died on the day I was born…at least that's what Tsunade told me but I have reasons to believe that dad died a few days after on a mission from Luna."

"So Tsunade lied to you." Sasuke's voice was full of venom and hatred directed at the respectable Head Commander but Nartuto was as calm as ever, not even a tint of sadness tainted his angelic features.

"I'm sure she meant no harm by it. It's a meaningless detail considering that I was just a baby." Naruto leaned closer and put a tanned hand on top of Sasuke's "She's really nice. Don't judge her too harsh."

"Was she the one who sealed you too?"

"Yes. Only she can break the seal."

"And you think it's fair towards you?"

"Try to see things from their perspective." Sasuke looked into the bright blue eyes that looked back at him full of understanding and compassion. There seemed to be a millennial wisdom in them and equal patience that didn't fit the blonde's young age.

"I still can't forgive them for doing this to you."

"Why are you so upset? We just met."

"Because it's just not right to lock a person for fourteen years in an empty room, that's why." Naruto giggled making the raven even more annoyed. "What's so funny?"

"I'm actually thirteen." It was hard to believe really how Naruto brushed such a serious subject away with such a small detail. It seemed like he didn't even care about his freedom. Sasuke could have understood it if he had been talking to someone who had never known freedom but Naruto had the memory of thousands of years if not more, there was no way he didn't know what freedom was like. "Think about it though…Why do you really care?"

Sasuke's alarm went on and he stood up ready to leave Naruto once again.

"Try to see their point of view, Sasuke. It will make things easier for you." Naruto was nearly pleading and Sasuke was taken by surprise by the sadness in his voice. The blonde was concerned about him but not think about himself.

"You went there again." Shikamaru asked lazily after watching Sasuke staring out the window for a while.

"And what if I did?" He didn't want to discuss about the House of the Butterflies with his friends anymore and had been avoiding the subject for weeks but Naruto's words were still ringing in his ear Think about it though…Why do you really care? And kept him distracted. Back then he had said what he felt in the heat of the moment; that it was wrong to treat Naruto that way, but Naruto seemed to think the true answer was deeper than that. The blonde had mentioned that they had met before but Sasuke could not remember. Was Naruto urging him to remember? But how could he when until recently he didn't know it was even possible?

He felt a little guilty though for shutting his friends up like that especially since meeting Naruto would have been impossible without their help. His good side was telling him to share what he knew with his friends but his dark side was telling him to keep Naruto to himself. It was selfish and stupid but that's how he felt.

"You didn't tell us anything about that place aside from the first time when you went with Neji. We're been patient enough but we want to know after going through all that trouble to get you in there." Shikamaru's words were harsh but true.

He could make up a lie but then there would be questions and none of his friends were dumb enough to not see a lie when stretched too long.

"Fine. But not here." He eventually agreed, feeling rather cornered and displeased with the situation.

"Fair enough." Shikamaru agreed just before Iruka entered the classroom.

"Today we will continue to talk about Terra…" the teacher started but Sasuke raised his hand. "Yes, Sasuke. Do you have a question?"

"How do we know what Terra looked like? You showed us holographic landscapes and sceneries and told us that's what Terra used to look like but how do you know it actually looked like that?" He was standing, with his palm flat against the surface of his desk looking the teacher straight in the eye. His demanding tone made several pairs of eyes focus on him but he paid then no attention.

"The oracle showed us." The teacher calmly answered.

"And where's the oracle?"

"At Luna base." Sasuke wanted to call the bullshit but he couldn't. He couldn't let Iruka know that he knew so instead he just sat down in his chair accepting the answer.

"What is the oracle?" Shikamaru asked the teacher although his gaze was directed at Sasuke.

"If you have a question please raise your hand, Shikamaru." Iruka scolded the lazy boy but doing so or apologizing for not doing so was too troublesome for the boy.

"So?" Shikamaru asked raising two fingers barely.

"The oracle is a group of three people who working together can tap the memory of the universe using different means like meditation, hallucinogenic plants and incense. They are at the Luna base and are at the heart of our modern research, guiding it on the right path."

When Sasuke entered the storage room followed by his friends he couldn't contain his anger anymore. Taking a random object he threw it against the wall.

"Bullshit."

"What got you so riled up?" Sai asked with his eternal fake smile plastered on his face.

"Iruka's lie about the oracle."

"He didn't seem to lie. I think he was telling the truth but what I want to know now is why you say he had lied."

"The oracle is not at Luna base." Then turning to Neji he continued "Don't you think what we saw there was what they modeled every hologram after?"

"I do." Neji agreed. "I also believe there's an oracle at Luna. Father talked about it before."

"So then the images of Terra are not from the oracle." Gaara put two and two together.

"But what if there is another oracle right here, on Ceres?" Sasuke added and all eyes were fixed on him. "You wanted to know what's there, didn't you? You wanted me to tell you what I saw…" He took a deep breath and hoped that he was doing the right thing because he already regretted his decision to tell his friends. "A thirteen year old boy."

"Are you saying that you saw a boy in that room?" Gaara asked raising a brow at him.

"He remembers thousands of years of history and he projects his memories. There's nothing else in that room, not even a chair or a source of light." His friends were left speechless and even Sai's smile faded. Sasuke's heart was racing in his chest and he wanted nothing more than to see Naruto but he couldn't. His visits had to be planned carefully and not very often.

"Fuck." Shikamaru broke the silence. "I read a story like that when I was a child about a girl who had the memory of all her past lives and had been locked in a room all alone. She lived her life dreaming about the past and drawing pictures of her memories but what she wanted more than anything was a friend to keep her company and tell her about the world outside, the world she never knew. Such a friend never came though until the day she died and her guardian angel became her first friend in years. There was something odd about this girl though. I remember that she had a birth mark like whiskers on her cheeks." Sasuke's eyes widened.

"Who wrote the story?" Sasuke demanded.

"If you'd just let me finish…I was getting to that. It was written almost a hundred years ago by the Head Commander at the time, Sarutobi Hiruzen. I didn't pay much attention to that at the time and then I just thought he wrote it for his children or grandchildren but now it seems odd."

"This boy has the same birth mark."

The mystery of the House of the Butterflies was solved and Sasuke's friends swore to keep the secret but Sasuke was not at all content.

It didn't cross his mind before but what did Naruto do all day? Did he live in the past like the girl in the story? That seemed to be the case considering the images Sasuke saw but he would not let Naruto be alone until his death like the girl in the story. He will let Naruto see the world outside or at least as much as Sasuke had seen in his fourteen years of existence.

He entered the white door earlier than he had planned. He scheduled a visit a week but a week seemed too long for him now. The blond waited for him as usual, petting the fox's nose and admiring the butterflies and gave him a bright smile that rivaled the Sun.

"Welcome back."

Sasuke went to sit next to the smaller boy and smiled too. "I have a present for you."

The blonde's features brightened up even more if that was possible. "Really? What is it?"

"Will you let me make the reality in this room for a while?" Naruto nodded and the field with butterflies was once again erased by the wind leaving the two boys in a now empty, dark room. Sasuke's heart skipped a bit as he realized how dark this room was when devoid of Naruto's influence but a warm hand grabbed his and he calmed down.

"You're not afraid of the dark, are you?" Sasuke snorted blushing slightly and was actually glad that it was dark because he didn't want Naruto to see him flushed.

"Of course not. It was just unexpected."

"I told you the room was empty."

"I know but you still kept the light back then."

Naruto chuckled "This time it's all yours, though."

Activating his sharingan Sasuke brought them to the recreation area where he usually went with his friends and watched Naruto look around excited.

"So this is Ceres?"

Sasuke smirked. "No idiot. This is just a recreation area. Ceres is much bigger than this. There's also a botanical garden…" he changed the image to that of the botanical garden and watched Naruto jump in excitement as he went to give different plants a closer look.

"They look just like the ones on Terra!" he exclaimed. "People are actually bringing back the species that once were on Terra."

"That's the plan." Sasuke said with a smile. Naruto's eyes held so much wisdom and yet he would act like the child he was at times. He found that rather amusing. He showed the boy a little bit around the station, then the zoo and the colonies and last but not least the third deck, his favorite place. The third deck had an area that had walls, floor and roof covered with windows so you could have the best view of space. It was in one of the recreation areas so it was tranquil and Sasuke liked to go there sometimes when he just wanted to be alone and think. Of course he wouldn't really be alone since it was a public space unless he went there at night when everyone else was asleep.

He made the illusion so that they were alone and watched amused as Naruto hesitantly made a step forward, testing the window floor.

"You're not going to fall, dobe. It's just an illusion." He went to grab the blonde's hand and dragged him along. "And even if it wasn't an illusion the floor is solid enough to hold you."

Naruto looked amazed at Terra with its cloud of dust and Luna shining bright under the Sun and seemed completely oblivious at the contact that Sasuke did not break. Naruto was focused on Terra and Luna but Sasuke had already seen them countless times so his mind drifted away at Naruto. What am I supposed to remember? He wondered. He could just ask Naruto but then that wouldn't be remembering and Naruto seemed to want him to remember. Or maybe it was more than that. Maybe he needed Sasuke to remember.

"What were your lives after the war like?" Naruto turned to look at him and shrugged.

"Pretty much like this one I guess."

"Have you been locked up like this before?"

"Aha. They find me every time and keep me safe so that I can help them restore Terra."

"Haven't you been lonely?"

Naruto's gaze dropped at his feet and although his face was hidden from Sasuke's view the raven knew that he was sad. "Sometimes…but I always had Kurama."

"Kurama is just a memory though." Naruto nodded.

"But now I also have you." Blue eyes were raised upwards to look into Sasuke's red ones and Sasuke was overwhelmed by emotions. Naruto's gaze was pleading and Sasuke wished that the boy would just say what he wanted and he would do anything to give it to him. Naruto stayed silent though.

Sasuke's pale hand reached the tanned cheek and his thumb ran over the whisker like marks. "What am I supposed to remember, Naruto?"

Naruto dropped his gaze but Sasuke cupped his cheeks with both hands raising his head once again.

"Please tell me."

"I can't…it would be meaningless if I do. You have to remember….Please."

Sasuke dropped his hands and immediately missed the warmth of Naruto's soft skin.

"I showed you my Terra now show me yours." The raven's eyes became black again and he was expecting to go back to the dark room but they did not. They were in space looking at Terra only that it was blue like Naruto said it had been a long time ago. Luna was a bit different too. They floated like that for a while then seemed to fall although Sasuke didn't feel it that way, it was more like Terra getting closer to them. Naruto took him through a sequence of places from deep blue oceans filled with wales, sharks and dolphins to endless icy places with seals, penguins and polar bears, then jungles and deserts. They saw snakes, tigers and lions, camels and koala bears.

"Isn't it beautiful?" The blond asked breaking the silence as they watched flamingos flying above a lake.

"Breathtaking."

"It's a pity you only got to remember it in such a depressing state."

"People made it that way though. I hope that they will treasure it more after they restore it, if they ever will. But I won't forgive them if they don't because then all you have been through will be for nothing." Naruto smiled at him a genuine smile and Sasuke's heart skipped a beat.

"You don't sound like you want to be a part of it. Don't you want Terra to be the way it was?"

"I know Terra means a lot to you but not to me."

"Why is that?"

"My family, I guess." Sasuke didn't really like to talk about his family but at the same time he felt that he owed it to Naruto after the blond had told him about his own family. The fact that the other may not understand him was also making Sasuke hold back. "My father and brother have been on many research expeditions on Terra and their achievements are well known so I was always in my brother's shadow. No one ever saw me as Sasuke but as Itachi's little brother or as Fugaku's younger son and they expect me to do what they do. My brother is a genius though and I can never reach his level, besides I don't even want to be like him. I want to be a pilot one day and go out of here to the Central Sun."

"Alcyone? Isn't that kind of far?" Sasuke smirked.

"Why, would you miss me?" he teased and Naruto pouted.

"Yeah…" the blond admitted truthfully.

"Don't worry dobe. We don't have the technology to go to Alcyone, I was just messing with you but I would like to go to Mars."

"You're mean."

"And you're so cute that I can't hold back from messing with you." Naruto changed the scenery to a mountain top and gathering snow in his tanned hands he made a snowball aiming it at Sasuke's face but as soon as Sasuke was about to do the same they were in the middle of the desert and the snow melted before it could leave Sasuke's hands.

"I assume it's alright if I mess with you too, right?" Naruto laughed at the raven who was left bear handed in the middle of a snow fight.

Sasuke tackled him and pinned him to the ground easily. He had been trained in combat and Naruto was obviously not. Or maybe he had been in some of his lives but his untrained body was nowhere nearly prepared to hold a fight against Sasuke.

"You were saying?" he asked as he watched the smaller boy squirm beneath him, trying to escape.

"Ok, I'll stop just get off of me." Sasuke obeyed and they both lay on the grass under the blue sky watching the butterflies.

"You really like the butterflies more than anything. I mean you took me to such amazing places and yet you always come back here. Does this place have a special meaning to you or is it just that you like it?"

"I died here a few times so it reminds me of many things related to human nature. Remember the Great War when you were hurt in the chest? It's the same place."

"How did you know I was here back then?"

"Just because I was in the back room doesn't mean I didn't know that you and your friend were here. I showed you that to scare you away."

Sasuke felt a pain in his chest but it was not like before. He felt hurt that he had been unwanted. "You didn't want me to come back?"

"No."

"Why didn't you tell me to leave after that?"

"You're stubborn. You wouldn't have listened until you got what you wanted."

"Do you still want me to leave?"

"Not really."

Sasuke rest his pale hand on Naruto's cheek drawing the blonde's attention. "I'm sorry I can't remember."

"It's ok." Only that it wasn't but Sasuke could not be blamed for that. Sasuke shifted until his head was on Naruto's chest and the blonde's fingers began to play with his black hair.

"I'm sorry I hurt you so much too."

"It can't be helped though. We all get hurt by people who don't really mean to hurt us."

"I know that…I won't come back if you ask me not to." Sasuke raised his head to look into Naruto's breathtaking blue eyes and was looking for any clue that would tell him what Naruto was thinking.

"I won't do that." Without even thinking Sasuke leaned closer and pressed his lips against Naruto's.

He saw himself and Naruto walking in a park. He was dressed in a black costume from the nineteenth century and white shirt that showed his social status. He was the son of a wealthy business man after all. Naruto was walking beside him, dressed in a crimson dress and held an umbrella in one hand while the other was around his upper arm. She looked happy and she smiled at him a bright smile as he was telling her something.

They were on Terra back then and they were happy.

He and Naruto were on a ship in the middle of the ocean chatting happily on the deck and enjoying the warm breeze. He told her to wait for him for a moment and he would bring them back some drinks. She agreed and smiled at him like she always did but when he came back he dropped the glasses on the floor. Naruto had been attacked by thieves who thought that she was rich since she was seen around him but they were wrong, she had nothing of value on her. She fell overboard in the cold ocean as she struggled to get away from her attackers and there was nothing he could do. He screamed her name and raised a hand over the rail but she was drifting further away in the endless cold water of the ocean out of his reach.

The kiss was brief but Sasuke was panting. What was it that he saw?

"Did you do that?" He asked rather annoyed at the stupid prank.

"Do what?" Naruto asked confused.

"Those images…us walking in the park, you drowning. Why did you make me see that?"

"I didn't. If you know that it's only because you remember."

"Bullshit." Sasuke slapped his cheek and Naruto covered a red cheek with his hand but did not react otherwise. "You think it's funny to make me watch you die? How can I remember? I'm not a freak like you." He ran out of the room as tears fell down his cheeks.

Every time he closed his eyes he saw Naruto die. The scene in the ocean and the one on the battlefield were giving him nightmares. Ever since he realized that the horrifying experience of the war that he had the first time had been Naruto's he couldn't take it out of his mind. Wasn't it a curse to remember? Yet everyone considered it a blessing and he was the oracle, the key to the future. Some blessing it must be to be locked up for several lives all alone and on top of it to remember all your deaths.

And then to have your only friend freak out on you and call you a freak must be the cherry on the top. As days passed Sasuke stopped believing that Naruto showed him those images and maybe they had been somehow triggered when he kissed the blond; after all they were only in his head and there had been no projection of them in the room. It felt real but it had been nothing like Naruto's ability to project his memories.

He felt sorry for what he did but he was afraid that Naruto hated him and hesitated to go and apologize for weeks but he was not at ease.

His friends also noticed his gloomy aura, well gloomier than usual and urged him to go and talk to Naruto.

"He would understand if you explain it to him." Neji had said.

"I'm sure he's not expecting you to be so comfortable with such sudden memories." Gaara added as well.

"Grow a dick and get your girl back." Sai had said earning a death glare.

"He's not a girl and he's definitely not mine."

"That's not what you sounded like earlier."

Sai was right in his own extremely rude and uncivilized way and that's why Sasuke put up with him in the first place. He would tell you what he thought without beating around the bush or sugarcoating things to make things easier for you.

So once again he found himself in front of the white door hesitating to enter. He knocked a few times and waited for an answer, whatever it may be: come in or go away but there was none. He opened the door only to find the dark room empty. Walking to the door on the opposite wall he knocked on it three times then leaned against it. He didn't try to open it so he didn't really know if it was locked or not but he knew that Naruto was there.

"Naruto….I'm sorry. I shouldn't have accused you and I shouldn't have slapped you. You never lied to me before so I had no reason to doubt you."

There was no sound coming from the other side and Sasuke wondered if the blonde was sleeping.

"Please come out if you hear me." There was a sound of a lock being turned and Sasuke turned around waiting for the door to open. When it did, Naruto stepped in the larger room and waited for Sasuke to continue.

Activating his sharingan, Sasuke created the illusion of the recreation area on the third deck.

"Remember this?" He asked the blond beside him "It's my favorite place on Ceres and I often come here to think. Hilarious, right? I hate Terra and yet my favorite spot has the best view of it."

"You don't hate Terra. You hate being a shadow, you're afraid of being a shadow. You're not a shadow though, you're a person."

Sasuke's lips curved upwards in a sad smile. "I suppose you're right. I am afraid of being a shadow. I'm also afraid of losing you. I don't really know how you live with the memories of you deaths, the memory of the people you loved and lost."

"Because I remember I have a different perspective about life. I can live several lives locked up because I know that one day I will have freedom again and all this will be just a memory."

"I don't want you to remember me like this though." He turned to face Naruto for the first time since he created the illusion and cupped the cheek he had slapped before.

"I already remember you in ways you are not aware of so what's one more memory added to that?"

"Then remember this…" Pulling the smaller boy closer he pressed his lips against the blonde's and Naruto wrapped his hands around his neck. The kiss was shy at first then more confident and Sasuke realized that he had always loved this blond. He didn't remember anything else but he remembered that much and it was enough.

Passion grew inside of him and he wanted more as he left a trail of kisses on the tanned jaw then on his neck. Biting a spot on the tanned neck he made Naruto make a crying sound and he wanted more.

He stopped his nibbling to look at the boy before him, his features appearing angelic under the light of the Luna.

"I want you to be mine forever."

"I've always been yours."


End file.
